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Line 5 pipeline essential to state's energy supply

According to news reports, during a recent Army Corps of Engineers public hearing on the impact of the proposed Line 5 relocation project, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency confirmed what the pipeline owner -- Enbridge -- and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources had already established: that no data or evidence supports claims that the project will impact the Bad River Reservation's water quality.

The EPA's confirmation comes after the DNR issued the permits for the Line 5 project last fall, after a more than four-year extensive review of the proposal. The project itself is supported by everyone from business people to union labor to farmers to the state's dairy and paper industries. It seems the only ones opposing this project are the extreme environmentalists who openly express their desires to drive up energy costs.

People are also reading... Thousands rally against Trump at Wisconsin Capitol in Downtown Madison Authorities release little information about 3 hazmat investigations, 2 arrests Baldwin, Pocan's names turn up in alleged Minnesota gunman's papers Madison police plan for numerous protests, events Downtown Saturday NCAA hits Wisconsin football with penalties for recruiting violations Madison hazmat team, Department of Justice responding to West Side incident Vos: Republicans weighing $87M cut to UW system over lack of 'political diversity' Stoughton family's damage claim under second county review After neighbors sue, Madison approves West Side apartment building a second time Protesters to march against Trump in Madison on Saturday Once blighted, the 100 block of State Street is being revived Unanimous Wisconsin Supreme Court bars Legislature from intervening in AG settlements Dane County event helps residents rid their housing deeds of racial covenants Janesville police releasing few details on triple homicide Tuesday GOP proposes $1.3 billion income tax cut, exempting some retiree income

The political games being played by these extremists need to stop. Line 5 is critical to our regional gas, diesel and propane supply. Even the EPA confirms their continued efforts to stop the Line 5 relocation aren't grounded in scientific reality.

Laura Welch, Fox Lake

Assassinations are perversion of religion

The headline on the Associated Press article in the Wisconsin State Journal on Monday about Minnesota shooting suspect Vance Luther Boelter read, "Friends: Suspect religious, conservative." The inference is that Boelter's religious and conservative leanings may have contributed to the shooting.

The Gospel reading on the day I wrote this letter comes from Matthew 5:43-48. I will quote from verse 44: "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Whatever differences Boelter had with positions held by former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, his brutal attack in her home, resulting in the deaths of both Hortman and her husband, Mark, is a perversion of Jesus' teachings on loving our neighbors, including so-called enemies.

We recently observed the 160th anniversary of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth, which took place on April 14, 1865, at Ford's Theatre in Washington. Both men took matters into their own hands and killed political leaders whom they disagreed with.

Our nation has suffered far too many assassination attempts and deaths of our political leaders. This madness must stop if we are to survive as a civilized nation.

Patrick Hardyman, Blanchardville

Deportations violate law and Christian values

President Donald Trump's recent pronouncements that fewer farm and hospitality workers should be deported (which is unfair to other workers) are an admission that not everyone, probably not even the majority, of immigrants he's been deporting are the deadly, depraved gang members his administration has so stridently claimed. These immigrants really are just hard-working people trying to have a decent life.

In the Constitution, the 14th Amendment says, "nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law." It doesn't say "any citizen" shall not be denied, it says "any person." That's what it means.

In addition, while Trump claims to be Christian, no way is his treatment of illegal immigrants remotely Christian. Jesus specifically says, "I was a stranger, and you invited me in," and that "whatever you did for the least of these, my brethren, you did for me." (Matthew 25: 35-41) Some argue that "brethren" means just his disciples, but that's a sad evasion. It clashes with the story of the Good Samaritan and Jesus' other teachings on the Golden Rule.

Trump and his administration are chronically lying, violating moral, humanitarian and constitutional law. They should face justice.

Donald Foy, La Farge

GOP shows true colors with awful budget bill

"You will know them by their fruits," reads Matthew 7:16.

We're getting to know the values of the felon who lives in the White House and the Republican members of Congress in their proposed budget.

The Congressional Budget Office says nearly $1 trillion would be cut from essential programs. We can expect cuts to health care for children, the elderly and disabled, with an estimated 11 million Americans losing their health insurance.

Many Americans will suffer pain and die. Food will be taken out of the mouths of children, and schools will lose assistance for children with special needs.

All of this is to give $3.8 trillion in tax breaks, largely for the financial elite, while hurting the lowest earners. It then creates a $2.4 trillion increase in the national debt, plus billions in interest.

As Independence Day approaches, all Americans need to remind our congressional representatives that America once rejected living under a king, and we will do so again. As the Declaration of Independence states, governments derive "their just powers from the consent of the governed." This means we can dissent from the rule of the wannabe king.

Call your senators and tell them you dissent from the values in this budget and want it defeated.

Bill Dagnon, Baraboo

Low corporate tax rate helps businesses thrive

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act delivered long overdue, pro-growth tax reform that reduced our corporate tax rate -- making it globally competitive and giving companies less incentive to leave for tax purposes.

Thanks to that globally competitive federal corporate tax rate, Wisconsin has become a premier business destination. In the few years since the passage of the tax cuts, companies and multinational corporations have deepened investments in our state, adding thousands of Wisconsin workers to their payroll.

These transformative, tax-incentivized investments have only just begun to pay dividends for productivity, wage and job growth.

But between lingering post-pandemic unemployment, climbing inflation and an ever-changing international trade landscape, Wisconsin businesses are not out of the woods. With economic uncertainty already stressing Wisconsin job creators, Wisconsinites are counting on Congress to deliver much-needed fiscal stability -- starting with maintaining a 21% corporate tax rate.

As the Senate considers the "one big, beautiful" tax bill, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, ought to ensure negotiations do not touch our competitive corporate tax rate.

Nancy Milholland, Mount Pleasant

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